


Christmas Spirit

by heartsignal



Category: The Boyz (Korea Band)
Genre: Christmas Fluff, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-22
Updated: 2018-12-22
Packaged: 2019-09-24 14:24:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,310
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17102264
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/heartsignal/pseuds/heartsignal
Summary: Chanhee is a lonely Christmas grouch. Changmin shows him the joys of Christmas.





	Christmas Spirit

Chanhee exhaled as his feet hit the warmth of the bath water. He sunk in slowly until the water came up to his neck. He took a deep breath in, the scent of autumn leaves and lavender candles hit his nose. Music played quietly in the background. To Chanhee this was pure bliss.

After months on end of catering to people at his many part-time jobs and dealing with the stress of endless college papers and exams, he needed a break. What better time for a break than Christmas? He rented out a winter cabin high in the mountains where he could undoubtedly be alone. Nothing but himself and good ole nature.

Once Chanhee’s fingers began to prune and his bath ran cold he decided to get out. He dried himself and changed into something more comfortable. He glanced at the clock on the wall of the living room, seven-thirty. As if on cue Chanhee’s stomach rumbled, time to make dinner. He hummed to Christmas carols while chopping up ingredients for homemade soup. Once all the ingredients were put in the pot and boiling, Chanhee took a seat in the living room and opened up a book. He laid his head on the armrest, reading each word carefully, completely absorbing himself into the book.

A couple of chapters in he heard the timer go off and set the book down. He walked slowly, each step lingering on the wooden floor. Over the next few days, he would become one with the cabin. It would become a safe haven that would keep him sane when he’d eventually return to society. He took the lid off the pot to find the soup done and ready to consume.

He sat at the long wooden table and ate. Though it was dark outside he could see that snow had begun to fall. He smiled to himself, his very own white Christmas. 

After eating and cleaning his dishes Chanhee decided to finish reading in his room. He had barely sat on the bed when a knock came from the front door.

“Hello! The lights are on! Is anyone here? I need help!” someone yelled. Chanhee sighed and made his way down the stairs to the living room again. Wait. What if someone was just trying to lure him out and kill him?

“Hello? It’s really cold out here, can you please open the door?” the man yelled once more. Chanhee suspiciously eyed the door before heading to the supply closet in the kitchen and securing a broom. He walked back to the living room and prepared to defend himself when he opened the door.

“Oh, thank god! I thought I was gonna die out here.” the man breathed a visible sigh of relief. A gust of cold wind burst into the cabin when Chanhee opened the door causing him to shiver. He glanced over the man before him. He was cute, Chanhee thought, but no one was going to ruin his alone time.

“What the hell are you doing here?” Chanhee said a bit harsher than intended. This didn’t seem to shake his visitor.

“My car broke down down the road and I need to make a phone call but I have no service and I was wondering if you did.”

“You passed a station a couple of miles back, try them.” Chanhee tried to close the door.

“Please! It’s snowing and it’ll take forever to walk back. Just let me use your phone, please.” he pleaded.

Chanhee sighed. _It’s Christmas Eve, stop being such a bitch_ he thought to himself.

“Fine, come in.”

The male’s eyes visibly brightened as he ran inside. He ran up to the fireplace and let out an overexaggerated sigh of relief.

“Would you like some tea?” Chanhee asked, already making his way to the kitchen.

"Yes, please."

Chanhee set a kettle to boil on the stove and peered back into the living room to see what the stranger was doing. He still sat in front of the fireplace, rubbing his hands together. He was visibly shaking. Chanhee felt kind of bad but part of him insisted on being alone. All he did was spend time with others and this guy was getting in the way of his me time.

“I’ll go get my phone. Once the tea is ready and the call is made you’re gone. Okay?” The stranger nodded.

Chanhee quickly made his way upstairs and snatched his phone off the nightstand. No bars. Chanhee looked up to the ceiling and sighed are you kidding me? He ran back downstairs to find the stranger staring outside the window.

“What are you doing?” the man turned, startled.

“Look at all the snow,” he said in awe.

Chanhee walked up behind him and peered out of the window. What had begun as a flurry had turned into a full out snowstorm. 

“My phone has no signal,” Chanhee stated, heading back to the kitchen to check the kettle.

“Well… do you mind if I stay here until it clears up?” The boy followed Chanhee.

Chanhee’s face scrunched up. All he wanted was to be alone and now he had to share a cabin with a stranger until the snow blew over and the plows cleared the snow. How could he say no though? The boy was staring at him wide-eyed, a dimple appearing on his cheek. His eyes glimmered and he looked a little confused. Chanhee thought he was endearing.

“I guess you can keep me company,” Chanhee replied, pouring the tea into the mugs. “But first you need to tell me your name.”

“I’m Changmin. Ji Changmin.” he stuck his hand out.

“I’m Chanhee. Choi Chanhee.” Chanhee mimicked the action. It was quiet for a few minutes as they both sipped their tea. Both avoided making eye contact, instead, finding interest in everyday household items.

“So, where were you headed this time of night?” Chanhee shuffled awkwardly to the sink to rinse out his cup.

“My sister lives in the next town over and I heard there was a shortcut through here,” Changmin explained. Chanhee nodded and again silence filled the room.

“Why were you up here all alone?” Changmin asked. They headed back to the living room to sit in front of the fireplace.

“I spent the entire year working and attending classes so I rented this cabin so I could have some alone time.”

“Wouldn’t you rather be with your family for Christmas though?” Changmin wondered aloud.

“It’s just me.”

“Oh,” Changmin replied. “Well, l hope I can get you into the Christmas spirit. You look kind of lonely here.”

“Excuse me? I am full of Christmas spirit!”

“You sure? You sound a lot like the Grinch to me. You even holed yourself up in a cabin alone. Doesn’t sound like someone full of Christmas spirit to me.” Changmin teased.

“What’s your idea of Christmas spirit then?”

“A beautiful tree decorated with bells and lights and ribbons, tons of pretty decorations, Christmas carols, cookies, presents!” he exclaimed. Chanhee smiled a little seeing the boy get so excited about Christmas. “This cabin could definitely be more Christmassy.”

“I decorated enough,” Chanhee argued. “There are lights and I was humming Christmas carols earlier!”

“Scented candles don’t count.”

“We can bake cookies and about the tree… I’m not cutting down a tree just to complete your holiday wish.”

“What about presents?”

“Where are we going to get presents in the middle of a snowstorm?” Chanhee deadpanned.

“Makeshift! I’ll make you a present and you make me a present.”

“Why would I do that?”

“If we’re gonna be stuck together for at least the next twenty-four hours shouldn’t we at least try to enjoy it?” Changmin stared. He had a point. It wouldn’t hurt to try to enjoy the holidays with his new, strange companion. Chanhee was astounded at how easily he was able to talk to Changmin, it was as if they had been friends for years and hadn’t met a mere hour ago. Maybe opening up and trying to enjoy himself in this predicament could bring something good to him.

Changmin and Chanhee spent that night getting to know each other. Their fears, their dreams, their past, and what they hoped would come from the future.

The next morning Chanhee woke up first. He woke up alarmed to find himself tangled with another body. Then he remembered Changmin was the body. He slowly pulled his body away, careful not to wake him up.

He brushed his teeth and then went downstairs. The snow had piled up overnight and was almost knee deep. He put hot chocolate to warm in a pot on the stove and then proceeded to look around. What kind of gift would Changmin like? He only had so much to work with. Changmin could wake up at any moment so he had to be quick and swift. He sensed that Changmin liked cute things, but what cute things could you find in a cabin high in the mountains? Then it dawned on him.

Soon after Chanhee wrapped Changmin’s gift Changmin awoke. He had prepared Chanhee’s gift while he slept and he was excited about the exchange. He wondered what Chanhee prepared. He reached into the suitcase that he had brought in last night and got out his toothbrush. He went to the bathroom and discovered Chanhee’s toothbrush. The sight had him dying of laughter. They had matching toothbrushes. He was amazed at the coincidence.

He went downstairs to find Chanhee in the kitchen making hot chocolate.

“What were you laughing at?” Chanhee asked.

“Oh, nothing,” Changmin said. Chanhee eyed him suspiciously but chose not to question him further. He poured them both a cup of hot chocolate.  
“So are we decorating today?”

“Yeah, I found some decorations in the closet,” Chanhee replied. He took another sip from the hot chocolate. 

“Ack!” he exclaimed, scrunching his nose and sticking his tongue out. He burned his tongue.

Changmin giggled at him.

“You’re laughing at my pain?” Chanhee whined.

“No, you’re just… cute.” Changmin blushed. Chanhee’s face flushed pink. Changmin wasn’t sure if it was from the hot chocolate or him. He hoped it was him.  
They spent the rest of the day decorating, baking cookies, and getting in the holiday spirit. Nighttime came faster than they had hoped.

“Guess it’s time to exchange presents.”

They collected their makeshift gifts, “On the count of three will switch and open.”

“One.”

“Two.”

“Three.”

“I love it!” they both exclaimed at the same time. Changmin had given Chanhee a teddy bear. It was a bear he had brought not long ago. He decorated it with pieces of old cloth he had found. “This way you’ll always have a little Christmas spirit,” he said.

Chanhee had decorated an old tote bag with designs to remind them both of that day. Two cute stick figures at the bottom were holding hands and waving. There was a giant Christmas tree behind them and the fireplace.

“I noticed your bag was kind of worn and ripped so here’s one I decorated!” Chanhee pushed it into his arms.

For a moment they just sat together in comfortable silence, admiring the gifts they had both worked hard on.

A situation that could have been bad and lonely for both of them had turned into the blossoming of a beautiful friendship. In the mere twenty-four hours that they’d been together, they created a memory that would last an eternity in their minds and in their hearts. It was by chance that Changmin’s car happened to break down in front of Chanhee’s cabin. It was a stroke of luck that Chanhee’s phone had no service and Changmin had stayed. It was a miracle that they had gotten along so well.

The comfortable silence was disrupted by the sound of the plain. After an exchange of a look of confusion, they both ran to the window to see that a plow had gotten rid of most of the snow. While happy they were no longer stuck inside the cabin, their time together was coming to an end.

“Well, I guess this is goodbye.” Changmin rubbed the back of his neck. “I should really get to my sister’s place.” he walked upstairs to get his bags to take back to his car.

Chanhee really thinks he’ll miss Changmin. Somehow he doesn’t think he can go back to spending the rest of his holiday alone after meeting someone as interesting as him. Changmin was full of surprises but he also taught Chanhee that he had surprises himself. There wasn’t a dull moment while the two were together and it was a shame it would be ending so quickly.

“Yeah, guess this is goodbye,” Chanhee said. They both stood by the door, neither wanting to make the first move to go away.

“Maybe we should exchange numbers, y’know, in case you ever need a cabin to stay in on the way to your sister’s.” Chanhee stuck his phone out.

“Yeah definitely,” Changmin grabbed Chanhee’s phone and gave him his. “If you’re ever in need of company feel free to call me.” Changmin smiled as he handed the phone back.

“Guess I’ll be on my way then.” Chanhee resisted the urge to hug him. Even if they were parting now, he was sure they’d meet again soon. One doesn’t come across someone like Ji Changmin once in a lifetime and let them get away that easily.

“See you,” Chanhee said.

Changmin walked out the door. Chanhee watched him as he put his bags in the car and got in. He didn’t want to move until the car was out of sight.

Changmin was driving away when he stopped the car in front of the cabin and rolled down the window.

”Hey, Chanhee! Merry Christmas!” he yelled out.

“Merry Christmas!” Chanhee replied, watching him drive away.

**Author's Note:**

> this is my first time writing for nyukyu and i think this is one of my favorite's so far! i hope u guys like it as much as i do and i hope the ending doesn't seem as angsty as i think it does???
> 
> anyways lemme know what u think in the comments or on [tumblr!](http://baehyunjae.tumblr.com/) <333


End file.
